The National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) is divided into three divisions based on scholarship allocation. Each division is made up of several conferences for regional league competition. Unless otherwise noted, changes in conference affiliation will occur on July 1 of the given year.
134-812: The Ivy League is an American collegiate athletic conference of eight private research universities in the Northeastern United States . It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I , and in football , in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The term Ivy League is used more broadly to refer to the eight schools that belong to the league, which are globally-renowned as elite colleges associated with academic excellence , highly selective admissions , and social elitism . The term
268-522: A lieutenant general (three star general). The 61st Superintendent, Lieutenant General Steven W. Gilland , took command on 27 June 2022, replacing Darryl A. Williams . The academy is a direct reporting unit, and as such, the Superintendent reports directly to the Army Chief of Staff (CSA) . There are two other general officer positions at the academy. Brigadier General R.J. Garcia is
402-526: A Brown graduate, as the university's first president. Thomas Cooper , an Oxford alumnus and University of Pennsylvania faculty member, became the second president of the South Carolina college. The founders of the University of California came from Yale, hence Berkeley 's colors are Yale Blue and California Gold. Stanford University has, since its earliest days, been nicknamed the "Cornell of
536-490: A cadet's third summer, they may serve as instructors for CBT or CFT. Rising Firstie (senior) cadets also spend one-month training at Camp Buckner, where they train for modern tactical situations that they will soon face as new platoon leaders. Cadets also have the opportunity during their second, third and fourth summers to serve in active army units and military schools around the world. The schools include Airborne, Air Assault, Sapper, Pathfinder, etc. Active duty officers in
670-574: A challenge from Columbia, published in the Yale News. The dual meet took place prior to a basketball game hosted by Columbia and resulted in a tie. Two years later, Penn and Princeton also added wrestling teams, leading to the formation of the student-run Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, now the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), the first and oldest collegiate wrestling league in
804-445: A child. Above-average high school or previous college grades and strong performance on standardized testing are expected. The interquartile range on the old SAT was 1100–1360 and 68% ranked in the top fifth of their high school class. To be eligible for appointment, candidates must also undergo a Candidate Fitness Assessment and a complete physical exam. Up to 60 students from foreign countries are present at USMA, educated at
938-458: A closer bond of confidence and cooperation and toward the formation of a common front against the threat of a breakdown in the ideals of amateur sport in the interests of supposed expediency. Please do not regard that statement as implying the organization of an Eastern conference or even a poetic "Ivy League". That sort of thing does not seem to be in the cards at the moment. Within a year of this statement and having held month-long discussions about
1072-439: A curriculum that grades cadets' performance upon a broad academic program, military leadership performance, and mandatory participation in competitive athletics. Candidates for admission must apply directly to the academy and receive a nomination, usually from a member of Congress. Other nomination sources include the president and vice president. Students are officers-in-training and are referred to as "cadets" or collectively as
1206-619: A nomination from their United States Representative or Senator . Some receive a nomination from the Vice President or even the President of the United States. The nomination process is not political. The academy applicant typically provides written essays and letters of recommendation. The applicant then submits to a formal interview. Admission to West Point is selective: 7.74% of applicants were admitted (total of 1232) to
1340-437: A particularly advantageous position to assume leadership for the preservation of the ideals of intercollegiate athletics. The Ivies have been competing in sports as long as intercollegiate sports have existed in the United States. Rowing teams from Harvard and Yale met in the first sporting event held between students of two U.S. colleges on Lake Winnipesaukee , New Hampshire , on August 3, 1852. Harvard's team, "The Oneida", won
1474-558: A prescribed series of physical fitness courses such as military movement (applied gymnastics), boxing, survival swimming, and beginning in 2009, advanced combatives . Cadets can also take elective physical activity classes such as scuba , rock climbing, and aerobic fitness. As with all soldiers in the Army, cadets also must pass the Army Physical Fitness Test twice per year. Additionally, every year, cadets must pass
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#17327649065861608-553: A revolver that belonged to Göring, and a silver-plated party book, signed by Charles Lindbergh, Herbert Hoover and Mussolini, among others. Arguably, the most prized artifact on display is a gold-plated pistol that belonged to Adolf Hitler . The commanding officer at the USMA is the Superintendent , equivalent to the president or chancellor of a civilian university. In recent years, the position of superintendent has been held by
1742-498: A second such sport in 2025. Unlike the other two divisions, Division III institutions cannot offer athletic scholarships. Among the other NCAA Division III requirements, schools have sports sponsorship requirements set by the NCAA. All institutions, regardless of enrollment, must sponsor at least three team sports for each sex/gender, and each playing season represented by each sex/gender. A sports sponsorship rule unique to Division III
1876-688: A sharp increase in the demand for army officers, and the academy accelerated graduation of all four classes then in attendance to meet this requirement, beginning with the early graduation of the First Class on 20 April 1917, the Second Class in August 1917, and both the Third and Fourth Classes just before the Armistice of 11 November 1918, when only freshman cadets remained (those who had entered in
2010-553: A side instead of 11 (soccer) as Yale would have preferred. In 1881, Penn , Harvard College , Haverford College , Princeton University (then known as College of New Jersey), and Columbia University (then known as Columbia College) formed The Intercollegiate Cricket Association , which Cornell University later joined. Penn won The Intercollegiate Cricket Association championship 23 times, including 18 solo victories and three shared with Haverford and Harvard, one shared with Haverford and Cornell, and one shared with just Haverford, during
2144-484: A social elite; to some degree independent of the actual schools. In 1870, the nation's first formal athletic league was created in 1870 with the formation of the Rowing Association of American Colleges (RAAC), composed exclusively of Ivy League universities. RAAC hosted a national championship in rowing from 1870 to 1894. The first Harvard vs Yale rugby football contest was held in 1875, two years after
2278-486: A year later. Those who do not must repay the AOG. Marion Military Institute , New Mexico Military Institute , Georgia Military College , Hargrave Military Academy , Greystone Preparatory School at Schreiner University , and Northwestern Preparatory School are approved programs that students attend on the AOG scholarship prior to admission to West Point. The Academy's research centers and institutes include: West Point
2412-549: Is a highly residential baccalaureate college, with a full-time, four-year undergraduate program that emphasizes instruction in the arts, sciences, and professions with no graduate program. There are forty-five academic majors, the most popular of which are foreign languages, management information systems, history, economics, and mechanical engineering. West Point is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education . Military officers compose 75% of
2546-520: Is adjacent to Highland Falls . Based on the significance both of the Revolutionary War fort ruins and of the military academy itself, the majority of the academy area was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. In 1841, Charles Dickens visited the academy and said "It could not stand on more appropriate ground, and any ground more beautiful can hardly be." One of the most visited and scenic sites on post, Trophy Point , overlooks
2680-451: Is also the burial place of several recent graduates who have died during the ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan . Many of the older grave sites have large and ornate grave markers, the largest belonging to Egbert Viele (class of 1847), chief engineer of Brooklyn 's Prospect Park . The cemetery is also home to a monument to Revolutionary War heroine Margaret Corbin . West Point
2814-571: Is home to historic athletic facilities like Michie Stadium and Gillis Field House as well as modern facilities such as the Lichtenberg Tennis Center, Anderson Rugby Complex, and the Lou Gross Gymnastics Facility. Michie Stadium recently underwent a significant upgrade in facilities for the football team, and the academy installed a new artificial turf field in the summer of 2008. The visitor center
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#17327649065862948-498: Is just outside the Thayer Gate in the village of Highland Falls and offers the opportunity to arrange for a guided tour. These tours, which are the only way the general public can access the academy grounds, leave the visitor center several times a day. The old West Point Visitor Center was housed in the now-demolished Ladycliff College library building. On 9 September 2016, West Point broke ground in order to begin construction of
3082-531: Is responsible for all military arts and sciences education as well as planning and executing the cadet summer training. Within DMI there is a representative from each of the Army's branches. These "branch reps" serve as proponents for their respective branches and liaise with cadets as they prepare for branch selection and graduation. Within DMI sits the Modern War Institute, a research center devoted to
3216-592: Is that the total number of sports that must be sponsored differs by a school's full-time undergraduate enrollment. Schools with an enrollment of 1,000 or fewer must sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women; those with larger enrollments must sponsor six men's and six women's sports. As in the other divisions, teams that include both men and women are treated as men's sports for the purpose of these regulations. Conferences that sponsor football highlighted in yellow. These all-sports conferences sponsor sports which do not have D-III championships. In addition to
3350-417: The École Polytechnique in the cadet central area just outside Nininger Hall. The remaining campus area is home to 27 other monuments and memorials. The West Point Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable graduates and faculty, including George Armstrong Custer , Winfield Scott , William Westmoreland , Earl Blaik , Margaret Corbin , and eighteen Medal of Honor recipients. The cemetery
3484-583: The Association of American Universities , the most prestigious alliance of American research universities. Undergraduate enrollments range from about 4,500 to about 15,000, larger than most liberal arts colleges and smaller than most state university systems . Total enrollment, which includes graduate students, ranges from approximately 6,600 at Dartmouth to over 20,000 at Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, and Penn. Ivy League financial endowments range from Brown's $ 6.9 billion to Harvard's $ 53.2 billion,
3618-552: The Civil War . In 1835, during the Army's first year of the Second Seminole War , they had only three generals: Winfield Scott , Edmund P. Gaines , and Thomas S. Jesup . The Army's remaining fourteen generals "held their rank by brevet only," and none of them were West Point graduates. Nearly the only way to obtain a commission up to 1835, was through the academy, "which created loud complaint", and added to
3752-664: The Patriot League , except for football, for which they are affiliate members of the American Athletic Conference . "Planting the ivy " was a customary class day ceremony at many colleges in the 1800s. In 1893, an alumnus told The Harvard Crimson , "In 1850, class day was placed upon the University Calendar...the custom of planting the ivy, while the ivy oration was delivered, arose about this time." At Penn, graduating seniors started
3886-533: The Philippines ; and 76 Medal of Honor recipients. The Continental Army first occupied West Point, New York, on 27 January 1778, and it is the oldest continuously operating Army post in the United States. Between 1778 and 1780, the Polish engineer and military hero Tadeusz Kościuszko oversaw the construction of the garrison defenses. However, Kościuszko's plan of a system of small forts did not meet with
4020-609: The Spanish–American War caused the class of 1899 to graduate early, and the Philippine–American War did the same for the class of 1901. This increased demand for officers led Congress to increase the Corps of Cadets' size to 481 cadets in 1900. The period between 1900 and 1915 saw a construction boom as much of West Point's old infrastructure was rebuilt. Many of the academy's most famous graduates graduated during
4154-491: The United States Congress to authorize a more formal system of education at the academy and increased the size of the Corps of Cadets to 250. In 1817, Colonel Sylvanus Thayer became the Superintendent and established the curriculum, elements of which are still in use as of 2020 . Thayer instilled strict disciplinary standards, set a standard course of academic study, and emphasized honorable conduct. He
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4288-539: The United States Naval Academy , and a few others. These schools were known for their long-standing traditions in intercollegiate athletics, often being the first schools to participate in such activities. At this time, however, none of these institutions made efforts to form an athletic league. A common folk etymology attributes the name to the Roman numeral for four ( IV ), asserting that there
4422-557: The football teams. The principles established reiterated those put forward in the Harvard-Yale-Princeton presidents' Agreement of 1916. The Ivy Group Agreement established the core tenet that an applicant's ability to play on a team would not influence admissions decisions: The members of the Group reaffirm their prohibition of athletic scholarships. Athletes shall be admitted as students and awarded financial aid only on
4556-838: The largest financial endowment of any academic institution in the world. The Ivy League is similar to other groups of universities in other countries, such as Oxbridge in England , the C9 League in China , and the Imperial Universities in Japan . Ivy League universities have some of the largest university financial endowments in the world, allowing the universities to provide abundant resources for their academic programs, financial aid, and research endeavors. As of 2021, Harvard University had an endowment of $ 53.2 billion,
4690-449: The rank of captain or major serve as Company Tactical Officers (TAC Officers). The role of the TAC is to mentor, train, and teach the cadets proper standards of good order and discipline and be a good role model. There is one TAC for every cadet company. There is also one senior Non-Commissioned Officer to assist each TAC, known as TAC-NCOs. The Department of Military Instruction (DMI)
4824-454: The "Ivies" except Cornell were founded during the colonial period and therefore make up seven of the nine colonial colleges . The other two colonial colleges, Queens College (now Rutgers University ) and the College of William & Mary , became public institutions. Ivy League schools are some of the most prestigious universities in the world. All eight universities place in the top 18 of
4958-626: The "Ivy colleges" came in 1933, when Stanley Woodward of the New York Herald Tribune used it to refer to the eight current members plus Army. In 1935, the Associated Press reported on an example of collaboration between the schools: The athletic authorities of the so-called "Ivy League" are considering drastic measures to curb the increasing tendency toward riotous attacks on goal posts and other encroachments by spectators on playing fields. Despite such collaboration,
5092-598: The "Jacksonian Democracy...a deep desire to get rid of the Academy, where, Jacksonians were sure, an aristocratic tradition was being bred." The Mexican–American War brought the academy to prominence as graduates proved themselves in battle for the first time. Future Civil War commanders Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee , who also later became the superintendent of the academy, first distinguished themselves in battle in Mexico. In all, 452 of 523 graduates who served in
5226-424: The "United States Corps of Cadets" (USCC). The Army fully funds tuition for cadets in exchange for an active duty service obligation upon graduation. About 1,300 cadets enter the academy each July, with about 1,000 cadets graduating. The academy's traditions have influenced other institutions because of its age and unique mission. It was the first American college to have an accredited civil engineering program and
5360-487: The 15-year period between 1900 and 1915: Douglas MacArthur (1903), Joseph Stilwell (1904), Henry "Hap" Arnold (1907), George S. Patton (1909), Dwight D. Eisenhower , and Omar Bradley (both 1915). The class of 1915 is known as " the class the stars fell on " for the exceptionally high percentage of general officers that rose from that class (59 of 164). The outbreak of America's involvement in World War I caused
5494-711: The 1973 end of American involvement in Vietnam, the strain and stigma of earlier social unrest dissolved, and West Point enjoyed surging enrollments. On 20 May 1975, an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill of 1976 opening the service academies to women was approved by the House of Representatives, 303–96. The Senate followed suit on 6 June. President Ford signed the bill on 7 October 1975. West Point admitted its first 119 female cadets in 1976. Also in 1976, physics professor James H. Stith became
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5628-682: The 2023-24 academic calendar; up until that point the Ivies that sponsor wrestling—all except Dartmouth and Yale— were members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association . The Ivy League was the first athletic conference to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by shutting down all athletic competition in March 2020, leaving many Spring schedules unfinished. The Fall 2020 schedule was canceled in July, and winter sports were canceled before Thanksgiving. Of
5762-724: The 2024 U.S. News & World Report National Universities ranking . U.S. News has named a member of the Ivy League as the best national university every year since 2001: as of 2020, Princeton eleven times, Harvard twice, and the two schools tied for first five times. In the 2024–2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking , six Ivies rank in the top 20: Harvard (#1), Columbia (#9), Yale (#10), Penn (#14), Princeton (#18), and Cornell (#19) —ranks that U.S. News says are based on "indicators that measure their academic research performance and their global and regional reputations." All eight Ivy League schools are members of
5896-566: The 357 men's basketball teams in Division I , only ten did not play; the Ivy League made up eight of those ten. By giving up its automatic qualifying bid to March Madness , the Ivy League forfeited at least $ 280,000 in NCAA basketball funds. As a consequence of the pandemic, an unprecedented number of student athletes in the Ivy League either transferred to other schools, or temporarily unenrolled in hopes of maintaining their eligibility to play post-pandemic. Some Ivy alumni expressed displeasure with
6030-719: The 44 years that the Intercollegiate Cricket Association existed from 1881 through 1924. In 1895, Cornell, Columbia, and Penn founded the Intercollegiate Rowing Association , which remains the oldest collegiate athletic organizing body in the US. To this day, the IRA Championship Regatta determines the national champion in rowing and all of the Ivies are regularly invited to compete. A basketball league
6164-573: The Civil War was a graduate of West Point, and a West Point graduate commanded the forces of one or both sides in every one of the 60 major battles of the war. Immediately following the Civil War, the academy enjoyed unprecedented fame as a result of the role its graduates had played. However, the post-war years were a difficult time for the academy as it struggled to admit and reintegrate cadets from former confederate states. The first cadets from Southern states were re-admitted in 1868, and 1870 saw
6298-621: The Class of 2024. Candidates may have previous college experience, but they may not transfer, meaning that regardless of previous college credit, they enter the academy as a fourth class cadet and undergo the entire four-year program. Candidates considered academically disqualified and not selected may receive an offer to attend to the United States Military Academy Preparatory School . Upon graduation from USMAPS, these candidates are appointed to
6432-619: The Commandant of Cadets, equivalent to a dean of students at the civilian level. Brigadier General Shane Reeves is the Dean of the Academic Board, equivalent to a provost at the civilian level. Brigadier General Diana Holland was the first female commandant. Brigadier General Jebb was the first female Dean. There are 13 academic departments at USMA, each with a colonel as the head of department. These 13 tenured colonels comprise
6566-529: The Corps" with "The ranks of the Corps." In December 2009, President Barack Obama delivered a major speech in Eisenhower Hall Theater outlining his policy for deploying 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as well as setting a timetable for withdrawal. President Obama also provided the commencement address in 2014. After the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy was lifted 20 September 2011,
6700-601: The Hudson River to the north, and is home to many captured cannon from past wars as well as the Stanford White -designed Battle Monument . Though the entire military reservation encompasses 15,974 acres (65 km ), the academic area of the campus, known as "central area" or "the cadet area", is entirely accessible to cadets or visitors by foot. In 1902, the Boston architectural firm Cram, Goodhue, and Ferguson
6834-555: The Ivy League absorbed the EIBL. The Ivy League claims the EIBL's history as its own. Through the EIBL, it is the oldest basketball conference in Division I. As late as the 1960s many of the Ivy League universities' undergraduate programs remained open only to men, with Cornell the only one to have been coeducational from its founding (1865) and Columbia being the last (1983) to become coeducational. Before they became coeducational, many of
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#17327649065866968-473: The Ivy League alleging that by denying athletic scholarships, the 1954 "Ivy League Agreement" is anticompetititive and violates antitrust laws. The lawsuit claims that the agreement constitutes price-fixing in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890, and in effect raises the cost of Ivy League education for student athletes. The Ivy League schools are highly selective, with seven out of
7102-433: The Ivy League schools were members of other single-sport conferences and the top-performing Ivy League team would be crowned the champion. The United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy were members of the Ivy League in many sports and were crowned as Ivy League champions while competing with Ivy League teams. Both schools left the conference in the early 2000s to join with their current conference,
7236-457: The Ivy schools maintained extensive social ties with nearby Seven Sisters women's colleges , including weekend visits, dances and parties inviting Ivy and Seven Sisters students to mingle. This was the case not only at Barnard College and Radcliffe College , which are adjacent to Columbia and Harvard, but at more distant institutions as well. The movie Animal House includes a satiric version of
7370-980: The League's position. In February 2021 it was reported that Yale declined a multi-million dollar offer from alum Joseph Tsai to create a sequestered "bubble" for the lacrosse team. The league announced in a May 2021 joint statement that "regular athletic competition" would resume "across all sports" in fall 2021. Following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, the Ivy League Conference committed itself to uphold "diversity, equity, and inclusion," to combat racism and homophobia. At Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Princeton there are Black Student Athlete groups and other affinity groups that are dedicated to ensuring their organizations are committed to anti-racism and anti-homophobia. In 2023, two former Brown University basketball players sued
7504-640: The NCAA sponsors separate championships for men and women are officially treated by the NCAA as two separate sports. Among the NCAA regulations, Division II institutions have to sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women (or four for men and six for women), with two team sports for each sex, and each playing season represented by each sex. Teams that consist of both men and women are counted as men's teams for sports sponsorship purposes. Conferences that sponsor football are highlighted in yellow. These all-sports conferences sponsor sports which do not have D-II championships. One of these conferences will add
7638-701: The Time", encouraging the seven universities to form the league in an effort to preserve the ideals of athletics. Part of the editorial read as follows: The Ivy League exists already in the minds of a good many of those connected with football, and we fail to see why the seven schools concerned should be satisfied to let it exist as a purely nebulous entity where there are so many practical benefits which would be possible under definite organized association. The seven colleges involved fall naturally together by reason of their common interests and similar general standards and by dint of their established national reputation they are in
7772-415: The U.S. Justice Department argued that Yale University discriminated against Asian-American candidates on the basis of their race, a charge the university denied. Harvard was subject to a similar challenge in 2019 from an Asian American student group, with regard to which a federal judge found Harvard to be in compliance with constitutional requirements. The student group has since appealed that decision, and
7906-633: The US. Though schools now in Ivy League (such as Yale and Columbia) played against each other in the 1880s, it was not until 1930 that Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn, Princeton and Yale formed the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League ; they were later joined by Harvard, Brown, Army and Navy. Before the formal establishment of the Ivy League, there was an "unwritten and unspoken agreement among certain Eastern colleges on athletic relations". The earliest reference to
8040-532: The West": more than half of Stanford's initial faculty, as well as its first two presidents, had connections to Cornell as alumni or faculty. A plurality of the Ivy League schools have identifiable Protestant roots. Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth all held early associations with the Congregationalists . Princeton was financed by New Light Presbyterians, though originally led by a Congregationalist. Brown
8174-548: The above limits, as long as that sport competes in another Division I conference. The men's and women's sports so counted need not be the same sport. In addition to competing in football, multisport conferences in the Football Championship Subdivision must still meet the general NCAA Division I requirements regarding the minimum number of men's and women's sports ( see above ). Multisport conferences that do not compete in football must still meet
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#17327649065868308-597: The above, two single-sport conferences that currently participate in NCAA National Collegiate sports (those whose championship events are open to members of more than one NCAA division) and previously operated both men's and women's divisions now operate as women-only leagues. United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy ( USMA , West Point , or Army ) is a United States service academy in West Point, New York . It
8442-461: The academy began admitting and retaining openly gay cadets. By March 2012, cadets were forming a gay-straight alliance group called Spectrum. By March 2015, Spectrum had two faculty and 40 cadet members, a mixture of gay, straight, bi, and undecided. According to a Vanity Fair essay, the LGBT cadets were well accepted. After the ban on transgender service members was lifted in 2016, the Class of 2017 saw
8576-436: The academy if they receive the recommendation of the USMAPS Commandant and meet medical admission requirements. The West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) also offers scholarship support to people who are qualified but not selected. The scholarships usually cover around $ 7,000 to civilian universities; the students who receive these scholarships do so under the stipulation that they will be admitted to and attend West Point
8710-442: The academy on Reception Day or R-day, which marks the start of cadet basic training (CBT), known colloquially as Beast Barracks, or simply Beast. Most cadets consider Beast to be their most difficult time at the academy because of the transition from civilian to military life. Their second summer, cadets undergo cadet field training (CFT) at nearby Camp Buckner, where they train in more advanced field craft and military skills. During
8844-571: The academy's authorized strength increased to 1,960 cadets. As World War II engulfed Europe, Congress authorized an increase to 2,496 cadets in 1942 and began graduating classes early. The class of 1943 graduated six months early in January 1943, and the next four classes graduated after only three years. To accommodate this accelerated schedule, summer training was formally moved to a recently acquired piece of land southwest of main post. The site would later become Camp Buckner. The academy had its last serious brush with abolition or major reform during
8978-497: The academy. Founded as a school of engineering, for the first half of the 19th century, USMA produced graduates who gained recognition for engineering the bulk of the nation's initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads. The academy was the only engineering school in the country until the founding of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1824. It was so successful in its engineering curriculum that it significantly influenced every American engineering school founded prior to
9112-425: The admission of the first black cadet, James Webster Smith of South Carolina . Smith endured harsh treatment and was eventually dismissed for academic deficiency under controversial circumstances in 1874. As a result, Henry O. Flipper of Georgia became the first black graduate in 1877, graduating 50th in a class of 76. Two of the most notable graduates during this period were George Washington Goethals from
9246-411: The appeal is still pending as of August 2020. Members of the League have been highly ranked by various university rankings . All of the Ivy League schools are consistently ranked within the top 20 national universities by the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking . (2024) Collaboration between the member schools is illustrated by the student-led Ivy Council that meets in
9380-481: The approval of New York Governor (and General) George Clinton or the other general officers. It was determined that a battery along the river to "annoy the shipping" was more appropriate, and Washington's chief engineer, Rufus Putnam , directed the construction of a major fortification on a hill 500 feet (150 m) above sea level that commanded the West Point plain. General Alexander McDougall named it Fort Putnam . The Great Hudson River Chain and high ground above
9514-501: The base-level classes and take advanced or accelerated courses earlier as freshmen or sophomores. Regardless of major, all cadets graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree. As all cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants upon graduation, military and leadership education is nested with academic instruction. Military training and discipline fall under the purview of the Office of the Commandant of Cadets. Entering freshmen, or fourth class cadets, are referred to as New Cadets, and enter
9648-494: The basis of the same academic standards and economic need as are applied to all other students. In 1954, the presidents extended the Ivy Group Agreement to all intercollegiate sports, effective with the 1955–56 basketball season. This is generally reckoned as the formal formation of the Ivy League. As part of the transition, Brown, the only Ivy that had not joined the EIBL, did so for the 1954–55 season. A year later,
9782-404: The beginning of their second year. This core course of instruction consists of mathematics, information technology, chemistry, physics, engineering, history, physical geography, philosophy, leadership and general psychology, English composition and literature, foreign language, political science, international relations, economics, and constitutional law. Some advanced cadets may "validate" out of
9916-503: The board decides to consider." Currently the BOV is chaired by Representative John Shimkus and is composed of three Senators, five Representatives and six presidential appointees. Candidates must be between 17 and 23 years old (waivers have been accepted for 24-year olds in rare cases where the candidate is in the military and deployed and therefore unable to attend before their 24th birthday), unmarried, and with no legal obligation to support
10050-512: The class of 1880, and John J. Pershing from the class of 1886. Goethals gained prominence as the chief engineer of the Panama Canal , and Pershing would become famous for his exploits against the famed Pancho Villa in Mexico and later for leading American Forces during World War I. Besides the integration of southern-state and black cadets, the post-war academy also struggled with the issue of hazing . In its first 65 years, hazing
10184-467: The core of the Academic Board. These officers are titled "Professors USMA" or PUSMA. The academy is also overseen by the Board of Visitors (BOV). The BOV is a panel of Senators, Congressional Representatives, and presidential appointees who "shall inquire into the morale and discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the academy that
10318-528: The custom of planting ivy at a university building each spring in 1873 and that practice was formally designated as " Ivy Day " in 1874. Ivy planting ceremonies are recorded at Yale University , Simmons College , and Bryn Mawr College among other schools. Princeton's "Ivy Club" was founded in 1879. The first usage of Ivy in reference to a group of colleges is from sportswriter Stanley Woodward (1895–1965). A proportion of our eastern ivy colleges are meeting little fellows another Saturday before plunging into
10452-569: The eight universities reporting undergraduate acceptance rates below 6%. Admitted students come from around the world, although those from the Northeastern United States make up a significant proportion of students. In 2021, all eight Ivy League schools recorded record high numbers of applications and record low acceptance rates. Year-over-year increases in the number of applicants ranged from 14.5% at Princeton to 51% at Columbia. There have been arguments that Ivy League schools discriminate against Asian-American candidates. For example, in August 2020,
10586-719: The establishment and funding of the school with the Military Peace Establishment Act of 1802 , which Jefferson signed on 16 March. The academy officially commenced operations on 4 July 1802. The academy graduated Joseph Gardner Swift , its first official graduate, in October 1802. He later returned as Superintendent from 1812 to 1814. In its tumultuous early years, the academy featured few standards for admission or length of study. Cadets ranged in age from 10 years to 37 years and attended between 6 months to 6 years. The impending War of 1812 caused
10720-506: The establishment of a military academy at West Point and introduced "A Bill for Establishing a Military Academy" in the House of Representatives. In 1801, shortly after his inauguration as president, Thomas Jefferson directed that plans be set in motion to establish at West Point the United States Military Academy. He selected Jonathan Williams to serve as its first superintendent. Congress formally authorized
10854-641: The expense of the sponsoring nation, with tuition assistance based on the GNP of their country. Of these foreign cadets the Code of Federal Regulations specifically permits one Filipino cadet designated by the President of the Philippines . The actual application process consists of two main requirements: candidates apply to USMA for admission and separately provide a nomination. The majority of candidates receive
10988-729: The faculty, while civilian professors make up the remaining 25%. A cadet's class rank, which determines their Army branch and assignment upon graduation, is calculated as a combination of academic performance (55%), military leadership performance (30%), and physical fitness and athletic performance (15%). The academy's teaching style forms part of the Thayer method, which was implemented by Sylvanus Thayer during his tour as Superintendent. This form of instruction emphasizes small classes with daily homework, and strives to make students actively responsible for their own learning by completing homework assignments prior to class and bringing
11122-487: The fall and spring of each year, with representatives from every Ivy League school. The governing body of the Ivy League is the Council of Ivy Group presidents, composed of each university president. During meetings, the presidents discuss common procedures and initiatives for their universities. List of NCAA conferences Under NCAA regulations, all Division I conferences defined as "multisport conferences" must meet
11256-512: The field training regimen and the Cadet Honor Committee was formed under his watch in 1922. MacArthur was a firm supporter of athletics at the academy, as he famously said "Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory." West Point was first officially accredited in 1925, and in 1933 began granting Bachelor of Science degrees to all graduates. In 1935,
11390-472: The first black athlete in the U.S. to win a gold medal in the Olympics) and a black student was named captain of the track team in 1918. Columbia's track and field team would be integrated in 1934. Basketball would become integrated at Yale in 1926, at Princeton in 1947. In 1945 the presidents of the eight schools signed the first Ivy Group Agreement , which set academic, financial, and athletic standards for
11524-491: The first openly transgender graduate. However, she was denied a commission and was honorably discharged. Brig. Gen. Diana Holland became West Point's first woman Commandant of Cadets in January 2016. In 2020, the campus confronted its first major pandemic in a century, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing limitations on classes, and the relocation of the traditional Army-Navy football game to ensure social distancing . For
11658-677: The first tenured African American Professor. In 1979, Cadet, later General, Vincent K. Brooks became the first African American to lead the Corps of Cadets. Kristin Baker, ten years later, became the first female First Captain (a depiction of her is now on display in the Museum), the highest ranking senior cadet at the academy in 1989. Six other women have been appointed as First Captain: Grace H. Chung in 2003, Stephanie Hightower in 2005, Lindsey Danilack in 2013, Simone Askew in 2017, Reilly McGinnis in 2020, and Lauren Drysdale in 2022. Simone Askew
11792-603: The first time in many years, the 121st iteration of the game was held at West Point rather than the traditional Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia . Ultimately, West Point beat Navy 15–0. The academy is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City on the western bank of the Hudson River . West Point, New York , is incorporated as a federal military reservation in Orange County and
11926-415: The first to have class rings , and its technical curriculum became a model for engineering schools. West Point's student body has a unique rank structure and lexicon. The academy fields 15 men's and nine women's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports teams. Cadets compete in one sport every fall, winter, and spring season at the intramural, club, or intercollegiate level. Its football team
12060-859: The following criteria: Schools in all divisions that sponsor athletic programs for only one sex/gender need only meet the sports sponsorship requirements for that sex/gender. Conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision must meet a more stringent set of NCAA requirements than other conferences. Among these additional NCAA regulations, institutions in the Football Bowl Subdivision must be "multisport conferences" and participate in conference play in at least six men's and eight women's sports, including football, men's and women's basketball, and at least two other women's team sports. Each school may count one men's and one women's sport not sponsored by its primary conference toward
12194-482: The formerly common visits by Dartmouth men to Massachusetts to meet Smith and Mount Holyoke women, a drive of more than two hours. As noted by Irene Harwarth, Mindi Maline, and Elizabeth DeBra, "The ' Seven Sisters' was the name given to Barnard, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Vassar , Bryn Mawr , Wellesley , and Radcliffe, because of their parallel to the Ivy League men's colleges." In 1982 the Ivy League considered adding two members, with Army, Navy, and Northwestern as
12328-532: The founding of other colleges and universities is notable. This included the Southern public college movement which blossomed in the decades surrounding the turn of the 19th century when Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia established what became the flagship universities of their respective states. In 1801, a majority of the first board of trustees for what became the University of South Carolina were Princeton alumni. They appointed Jonathan Maxcy ,
12462-429: The general NCAA Division I requirements regarding the minimum number of men's and women's sports ( see above ). Division I ice hockey has a different conference structure than the above multisport conferences. These schools have memberships in other conferences for other sports. This list includes conferences in sports that the NCAA does not fully split into divisions, such as men's volleyball and rifle. Sports in which
12596-583: The guidance for the development of all four classes. The class of 1990 was the first one to be issued a standard and mandatory computer to every member of the class at the beginning of Plebe year, the Zenith 248 SX . The academy was also an early adopter of the Internet in the mid-1990s, and was recognized in 2006 as one of the nation's "most wired" campuses. During the Gulf War , alumnus General Schwarzkopf
12730-551: The inaugural Princeton–Yale rugby football contest. Harvard athlete Nathaniel Curtis challenged Yale 's captain, William Arnold to a rugby-style game. Program for the "Foot Ball Match", Harvard v Yale, the first intercollegiate game. It is considered the first rugby game between Ivy League teams. The game was played at Hamilton Park , a venue in New Haven, Connecticut (located at the intersection of Whalley Avenue and West Park Avenue). The two teams played with 15 players (rugby) on
12864-536: The largest of any educational institution. Each university attracts millions of dollars in annual research funding from both the federal government and private sources. Before the 2000s, many of the Ivy League championships for men's and women's cross country, indoor and outdoor track & field, and swimming & diving were formatted as invitationals that many schools across the eastern United States would attend. In other sports, such as fencing, wrestling, men's and women's ice hockey, and men's and women's rowing, all of
12998-436: The most likely candidates; if it had done so, the league could probably have avoided being moved into the recently created Division I-AA (now Division I FCS) for football. In 1983, following the admission of women to Columbia College, Columbia University and Barnard College entered into an athletic consortium agreement by which students from both schools compete together on Columbia University women's athletic teams, which replaced
13132-637: The narrow "S" curve in the river enabled the Continental Army to prevent the Royal Navy from sailing upriver and dividing Patriot forces in the Northern colonies from the south. While the fortifications at West Point were known as Fort Arnold during the war, as commander, Benedict Arnold committed his act of treason , attempting to turn the fort over to the British. After Arnold betrayed
13266-418: The new 31,000 square foot Malek West Point Visitors Center. It is being built on the location of the former visitor center. The Malek West Point Visitors Center is named after Frederic Malek, USMA Class of 1959 and a 2014 Distinguished Graduate. The West Point Museum is directly adjacent to the visitor center, in the renovated Olmsted Hall on the grounds of the former Ladycliff College . Originally opened to
13400-828: The oldest private residences for the faculty, are built in the Federal , Georgian , or English Tudor styles. A few buildings, such as Cullum Hall and the Old Cadet Chapel , are built in the Neoclassical style. The academy grounds are home to numerous monuments and statues. The central cadet parade ground, the Plain , hosts the largest number, and includes the Washington Monument , Thayer Monument , Eisenhower Monument , MacArthur Monument , Kosciuszko Monument , and Sedgwick Monument . Patton Monument
13534-570: The patriot cause, the Army changed the name of the fortifications at West Point, New York, to Fort Clinton , named after General James Clinton . With the peace after the American Revolutionary War, various ordnance and military stores were left deposited at West Point. "Cadets" underwent training in artillery and engineering studies at the garrison since 1794. During the Quasi-War , Alexander Hamilton laid out plans for
13668-407: The pattern of freshmen's systemic hazing. When MacArthur returned as superintendent, he made an effort to end the practice of hazing the incoming freshmen by placing Army sergeants in charge of training new cadets during freshman summer. The practice of hazing continued on some levels well into the late 20th century, but is no longer allowed in the present day. The demand for junior officers during
13802-500: The primary institutions of higher learning in British America 's Northern and Middle Colonies . During the colonial era, the schools' faculties and founding boards were largely drawn from other Ivy League institutions. Also represented were British graduates from the University of Cambridge , the University of Oxford , the University of St. Andrews , and the University of Edinburgh . The influence of these institutions on
13936-540: The proposal, on December 3, 1936, the idea of "the formation of an Ivy League" gained enough traction among the undergraduate bodies of the universities that the Columbia Daily Spectator , The Cornell Daily Sun , The Dartmouth , The Harvard Crimson , The Daily Pennsylvanian , The Daily Princetonian and the Yale Daily News would simultaneously run an editorial entitled "Now Is
14070-536: The public in 1854, the West Point Museum is the oldest military museum in the country. During the summer months, the museum operates access to the Fort Putnam historic site on main post and access to the 282 acre Constitution Island . Some of the most notable items on display at the museum are George Washington 's pistols, Napoleon's sword, a dagger carried by Hermann Göring when he was captured,
14204-533: The race and was presented with trophy black walnut oars from then-presidential nominee General Franklin Pierce . The proposal to create an athletic league did not succeed. On January 11, 1937, the athletic authorities at the schools rejected the "possibility of a heptagonal league in football such as these institutions maintain in basketball, baseball and track." However, they noted that the league "has such promising possibilities that it may not be dismissed and must be
14338-769: The size of the Corps expand to 4,400 cadets while the barracks and academic support structure grew proportionally. West Point was not immune to the social upheaval of American society during the Vietnam War . The first woman joined the faculty of the all-male institution amidst controversy in 1968. West Point granted its first honorable discharge in 1971 to an African-American West Point cadet, Cornelius M. Cooper, of California, who applied for conscientious objector status in 1969. The academy struggled to fill its incoming classes as its graduates led troops in Southeast Asia, where 333 graduates died. Following
14472-542: The so-called Massasoit Convention to decide on uniform rules for the emerging game of American football, which rapidly spread. Seven out of the eight Ivy League schools are Colonial Colleges : institutions of higher education founded prior to the American Revolution . Cornell, the exception to this commonality, was founded immediately after the American Civil War . These seven colleges served as
14606-575: The steam engine. With the outbreak of the Civil War, West Point graduates filled the general officer ranks of the rapidly expanding Union and Confederate armies. 294 graduates served as general officers for the Union, and 151 served as general officers for the Confederacy. Of all living graduates at the time of the war, 105 (10%) were killed, and another 151 (15%) were wounded. Nearly every general officer of note from either army during
14740-615: The strife and the turmoil. The first known instance of the term Ivy League appeared in The Christian Science Monitor on February 7, 1935. Several sportswriters and other journalists used the term shortly later to refer to the older colleges, those along the northeastern seaboard of the United States, chiefly the nine institutions with origins dating from the colonial era , together with the United States Military Academy (West Point),
14874-468: The study of contemporary conflict and the evolving character of war. The Department of Physical Education (DPE) administers the physical program, which includes both physical education classes, physical fitness testing, and competitive athletics. The head of DPE holds the title of Master of the Sword, dating back to the 19th century when DPE taught swordsmanship as part of the curriculum. All cadets take
15008-741: The subject of further consideration." The integration of athletics followed a similar pattern to the overall integration of the Ivy League's in the 19th and early 20th century. There was no active policy that would discriminate against incorporating Black student athletes into the athletic coalition. Harvard has the earliest record of breaking the color barrier in athletics after recruiting William Henry Lewis to their football team in 1892. Dartmouth followed suit, with Black athletes integrating onto their football teams in 1904. Brown integrated their football team shortly after, in 1916. Cornell would follow suit in 1937. Penn had black students on their track and field team as early as 1903 ( John Baxter Taylor, Jr. ,
15142-435: The summer of 1918). In all, wartime contingencies and post-war adjustments resulted in ten classes, varying in length of study from two to four years, within a seven-year period before the regular course of study was fully resumed. Douglas MacArthur became superintendent in 1919, instituting sweeping reforms to the academic process, including introducing a greater emphasis on history and humanities . He made major changes to
15276-456: The universities did not seem to consider the formation of the league as imminent. Romeyn Berry , Cornell's manager of athletics, reported the situation in January 1936 as follows: I can say with certainty that in the last five years—and markedly in the last three months—there has been a strong drift among the eight or ten universities of the East which see a good deal of one another in sport toward
15410-481: The war in 1945, Maxwell Taylor (class of 1922) became superintendent. He expanded and modernized the academic program and abolished antiquated courses in fencing and horsemanship. Unlike previous conflicts, the Korean War did not disrupt class graduation schedules. More than half of the Army leadership during the war was composed of West Point graduates. The Class of 1950, which graduated only two weeks prior to
15544-496: The war received battlefield promotions or awards for bravery. The school experienced a rapid modernization during the 1850s, often romanticized by the graduates who led both sides of the Civil War as the "end of the Old West Point era." New barracks brought better heat and gas lighting , while new ordnance and tactics training incorporated new rifle and musket technology and accommodated transportation advances created by
15678-467: The war's outbreak, suffered some of the heaviest casualties of any 20th century class and became known sourly as "the class the crosses fell on." A total of 157 alumni perished in the conflict. Garrison H. Davidson became superintendent in 1956 and instituted several reforms that included refining the admissions process, changing the core curriculum to include electives, and increasing the academic degree standards for academy instructors. The 1960s saw
15812-489: The war, when some members of Congress charged that even the accelerated curriculum allowed young men to "hide out" at West Point and avoid combat duty. A proposal was put forth to convert the academy to an officer's training school with a six-month schedule, but this was not adopted. West Point played a prominent role in WWII; four of the five five-star generals were alumni and nearly 500 graduates died. Immediately following
15946-499: The women's teams previously sponsored by Barnard. When Army and Navy departed the Eastern Intercollegiate Baseball League in 1992, nearly all intercollegiate competition involving the eight schools became united under the Ivy League banner. The major exception is hockey, with the Ivies that sponsor hockey—all except Penn and Columbia—members of ECAC Hockey. Wrestling was a second exception through
16080-423: The work to class to discuss collaboratively. The academic program consists of a structured core of thirty-one courses balanced between the arts and sciences. The academy operates on the semester system, which it labels as "terms" (Term 1 is the fall semester; Term 2 is the spring semester). Although cadets choose their majors in the spring of their freshmen year, all cadets take the same course of instruction until
16214-565: Was a national power in the early and mid-20th century, winning three national championships. Among the country's public institutions, the academy is the top producer of Marshall and Rhodes scholars. Its alumni are collectively referred to as "The Long Gray Line," which include U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ulysses S. Grant ; Confederate President Jefferson Davis ; Confederate general Robert E. Lee ; American poet Edgar Allan Poe ; U.S. generals Douglas MacArthur and George Patton ; presidents of Costa Rica , Nicaragua , and
16348-513: Was awarded a major construction contract that set the predominantly neogothic architectural style still seen today. Most of the buildings of the central cadet area are in this style, as typified by the Cadet Chapel , completed in 1910. These buildings are nearly all constructed from granite that has a predominantly gray and black hue. The barracks that were built in the 1960s were designed to mimic this style. Other buildings on post, notably
16482-447: Was first dedicated in front of the cadet library in 1950, but in 2004 it was placed in storage to make room for the construction of Jefferson Hall. With the completion of Jefferson Hall, Patton 's statue was relocated and unveiled at a temporary location on 15 May 2009, where it will remain until the completion of the renovation of the old cadet library and Bartlett Hall. There is also a statue commemorating brotherhood and friendship from
16616-417: Was founded by Baptists, though the university's charter stipulated that students should enjoy "full liberty of conscience." Columbia was founded by Anglicans, who composed 10 of the college's first 15 presidents. Penn and Cornell were officially nonsectarian, though Protestants were well represented in their respective founding. In the early nineteenth century, the specific purpose of training Calvinist ministers
16750-484: Was handed off to theological seminaries , but a denominational tone and religious traditions including compulsory chapel often lasted well into the twentieth century. "Ivy League" is sometimes used as a way of referring to an elite class, even though institutions such as Cornell University were among the first in the United States to reject racial and gender discrimination in their admissions policies. This dates back to at least 1935. Novels and memoirs attest this sense, as
16884-509: Was killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks and ninety graduates have died during operations in Afghanistan , Iraq , and the ongoing Global War on Terror . The Class of 2005 has been referred to as The Class of 9/11 as the attacks occurred during their first year at the academy, and they graduated 911 students. In 2008 gender-neutral lyrics were incorporated into West Point's "Alma Mater" and "The Corps" – replacing lines like "The men of
17018-634: Was later created in 1902, when Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton formed the Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League ; they were later joined by Penn and Dartmouth. In 1906, the organization that eventually became the National Collegiate Athletic Association was formed, primarily to formalize rules for the emerging sport of football. But of the 39 original member colleges in the NCAA, only two of them (Dartmouth and Penn) later became Ivies. In February 1903, intercollegiate wrestling began when Yale accepted
17152-624: Was originally established as a fort during the American Revolutionary War , as it sits on strategic high ground overlooking the Hudson River 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City . The academy was founded in 1802, and it is the oldest of the five American service academies and educates cadets for commissioning into the United States Army . The academic program grants the Bachelor of Science degree with
17286-406: Was such a sports league originally with four members. The Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins helped to perpetuate this belief. The supposed " IV League" was formed over a century ago and consisted of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and a fourth school that varies depending on who is telling the story. However, it is clear that Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, and Yale met on November 23, 1876, at
17420-653: Was the commander of Allied Forces, and the American senior generals in Iraq , Generals Petraeus , Odierno and Austin , and Afghanistan, retired General Stanley McChrystal and General David Rodriguez , are also alumni. Following the September 11 attacks , applications for admission to the academy increased dramatically, security on campus was increased, and the curriculum was revamped to include coursework on terrorism and military drills in civilian environments. One graduate
17554-570: Was the first African American woman to lead the Corps. In the 21st century, women comprise approximately 20% of entering new cadets. In 1985, cadets were formally authorized to declare an academic major; all previous graduates had been awarded a general bachelor of science degree. Five years later there was a major revision of the Fourth Class System , as the Cadet Leader Development System (CLDS) became
17688-482: Was uncommon or non-existent beyond small pranks played upon the incoming freshmen, but took a harsher tone as Civil War veterans began to fill the incoming freshman classes. The upper class cadets saw it as their duty to "teach the plebes their manners." Hazing at the academy entered the national spotlight with the death of former cadet Oscar L. Booz on 3 December 1900. Congressional hearings, which included testimony by cadet Douglas MacArthur , investigated his death and
17822-469: Was used as early as 1933, and it became official in 1954 following the formation of the Ivy League athletic conference. The eight members of the Ivy League are Brown University , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , Harvard University , University of Pennsylvania , Princeton University , and Yale University . The conference headquarters is in Princeton, New Jersey . All of
17956-592: Was very much inspired by the curriculum of the French École Polytechnique where he had been sent upon his demand for two years in order to study the scientific and technological achievements developed by the French Republican faction and bring them back to the United States. Known as the "Father of the Military Academy," he is honored with a monument on campus for the profound impact he had upon
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